376 THE COACHING AGE. 



independently of running at very low, often ruinously 

 low, fares, the wear and tear of the stock was very 

 great. 



To narrate anything like all the accidents which 

 befell the coaches throughout the kingdom, even if 

 one possessed the requisite information, would be 

 very tedious for one's readers, without, so far as I 

 am aware, any counterbalancing advantage ; so I 

 will only mention two more — one was very serious, 

 and relates to two of the mails ; the other, as to the 

 circumstances which followed the accident, partakes 

 rather of comedy. 



In the accident to the mails, the Holyhead one was 

 upset, and one of the passengers killed, just on the 

 London side of St. Albans. The inquest was held at 

 the Peahen in that town, and a verdict of man- 

 slaughter was returned against the drivers of the 

 Holyhead and the Chester, which was the other 

 mail. It appeared they had been racing, and one 

 in endeavouring to pass the other on the wrong side 

 was driven up a bank, and overturned into the 

 road. Both coachmen were committed to gaol at St. 

 Albans to await their trial at the next assizes for the 

 county of Hertford, where they were visited by the 

 son of one of the proprietors. He found them 

 ironed like felons, of which they complained, and one 

 wept bitterly. It struck him as being very strange 



